Golf practice and game apparatus



O'ct. 5, 1943. H. w. SCHAEFER GOLF PRACTICE AND GAME APPARATUS FiledSept. 5, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct 5 1943- 'HL w. scHAEFER 'GOLF'PRACTLCE AND GAME APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sepl..v 5, 1941 WNWOct. 5, 1943. H. w. scHAEFER I GOLF PRACTICE AND GAME APPARATUS FiledSept. 5, 1941' 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l u; Y v dw- Patented Oct. 5, 1943UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GOLF PRACTICE AND GrAME APPARATUS Harold W.Schaefer, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Harry Alter Company, Chicago, Ill.,a corpora.-

tion of Illinois 7 Claims.

This invention relates generally to golf practice and game apparatus,and more particularly to a golf practice and game apparatus in whichindicating means is provided to show the player how far his golf ballwould normally have been driven and also the direction of flight of theball.

Golf practice devices have heretofore been commonly employed to enable aperson to practice indoors or in other limited spaces in which a screenor canvas is mounted in substantially a vertical plane at a relativelyshort distance in front of the tee to block the flight of the drivenball. In order to obtain the maximum benet from practicing withequipment of this general character, it is of course desirable to informthe player the distance his golf ball would normally have travelled aswell as the direction of night. In my copending application entitledGolf practice apparatus, United States Serial No. 400,899, filed July 3,1941, land assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, Ihave described an apparatus in which the distance the `ball wouldnormally travelfis measured and indicated with great accuracy. It is aprimary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus whichnot only indicates the distance the ball would normally travel withgreat accuracy, but also indicates vthe direction of night by recordingthe same on a visual direction indicator.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide means forindicating the point on the blocking means or canvas where the ballstrikes.

Another and still further object of the present invention is to provideat least one wide angle microphone and a plurality of highly directionalmicrophones behind the impact screen of a golf practice apparatus whichwill pick up and register the intensity of the impact of a ball strikingthe screen, as well as the location of the ball.

'I'he novel features which I believe to be characteristic of myinvention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. Myinvention itself, however, 'both as to its organization and manner ofconstruction, together with further objects and advantages thereof, maybest be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is an isometric drawing illustrating one embodiment of the golfpractice and game apparatus;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the impact screen with a portionof the screen broken awayto illustrate the relative positions of themicrophones which pick up the sound of impact of the ball striking thescreen;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the mechanism for registering thedistance that the ball would normally have been driven and its directionof flight;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2- illustrating a modified lform ofthe present invention in which a large number of highly directionalmicrophones are located behind the screen; and,

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the registering means for indicatingthe exact position where the ball strikes the canvas.

Referring iirst to l, -it will be seen that the range consists generallyof a tee board Ill, an inclined ball return .chute II lwhich inclinesdownwardly toward the tee board I0 and a ball blocking structure showngenerally at I2 located at the remote end of the :chute II.

The ball blocking structure includes a channel iron supporting framecomprising side elements I3 and I4 and top and bottom ,elements I5 andI6, respectively. 'Ihe Side elements are provided with forwardlyprojecting supporting elements ITI, I8, I9 and 20, each ofthe last namedelements having angularly disposed supporting strips 2i, 22, 23 and 24associated therewith, said last named elements .being suitably securedto the topand bottom supporting elements I5 and I5, respectively, as byspot Welding or riveting.

The supporting elements I3, I4, I5 and I6 a-re provided with a pluralityof longitudinally disposed perforations, each perforation being adaptedto receive the hook end of one of a plurality of springs 25, the otherend of each of said springs being adapted to engage perforationsdisposed around the edge or marginal portion of an impact member 26formed of canvas or the like. From the foregoing, it will be .seen thatthe canvas 26 is mounted to yieldably receive the impact of the balldriven thereinto with a diaphragm action, A deflecting panel 21 formedfrom canvas or the like is supported by its upper and lower edges on theangularly projecting strips 22 and 23, respectively, While a likedellecting panel 28 is mounted at the remote side of the impact member2E by strips 2| and 24, respectively.

It will thus be seen that a ball driven from the tee board I0 toward theblocking member I2 will be interrupted in its flight upon strik-ing thelatter. After striking the ball blocking structure I2, which includesthe `impact member '26 and deflecting panels 21 and 28. the ball willward the right as viewed in Figure l and a suitable hand hole 39 may beprovided in the top` thereof for removing the balls for further use.

Preferably an automatic testing device is provided in the board or teewand may consist of a funnel shaped container I3| having a connectingpassage 32 which slopes downwardly away from the bottom thereof. Thepassage 32 directs the balls into a Vertical passage 33 one at a. time.The bottom of the passage 33 is' in the form of a vertically operatedplunger 34 which is raised by a lever 35. This lever in turn is operatedby a vertical link 36 having a suitable foot piece 31 at its upper end.

It hasV been found that a ball striking a canvas screen of the typeherein described creates a sound that is -a direct function of thevelocity of impact. Since the distance a driven ball would normallytravel is a function of its initial velocity and of its trajectorypattern, means have been provided for registering not only the intensityof the impactl sound, but also its vertical flight angle. To put this inanother way, means are provided for making the sound pick up andregistering means less sensitive to balls having a high trajectory thanthose having a low trajectory; or in other words, to balls that strikethe canvas at a religatively high point as compared to a point Whichwould represent a trajectory giving maximum distance to the ball.Similar means are provided for discounting the deviation of the `ballfrom a true center line of flight in a yhorizontal plane, since it isobvious that a hookior a, slice is `less effective in the game of golfthan the "straight ball. Referring more particularly to Figures 2 and 3,I have illustrated therein mechanism for carrying out the above referredto functions. More specifically, I have provided four microphones 38,39, 40 and 4|, positioned and mounted behind the impact screen or canvas26 in the positions as generally shown in Figures 2 and 3. Thesemicrophones While preferably being of the directional type have arelatively wide angle sensitivity pattern. The microphones 38, 39, 49and 4|, are vconnected through dampem'ng or resistance devices 42, 43,44 and 45, respectively, to an amplifier 46.

It will, of course, be understood that Figure 3 is onlyl a diagrammaticillustration and has been employed f or the purpose of simplicity andclarity of illustration. While only a single line is shown connectingeach microphone to the amplifier, it will, of course, be understood thateach single line represents a suitable and complete electric circuit andwill thus include a pair of conductors. This manner of illustrating thevarious circuits of the present device .has been so employed throughoutFigure 3.

The output of the amplifier 48 is connected through a circuit 4l to anindicating device 48 having an indicating arm 49 and a calibrated scale59. 'Ihe indicating device 48 is preferably a vacuum tube v oltmeter,such for example as that described in my aforesaid copendlng applicationSerial No. 400,899.

The variable dampening means or resistance devices 42 to 45| are soadjusted that a greater dampening eiect is provided in the output of themicrophones 40 and 4| than is provided in the microphones 38 and 39.This discounts the eifect'of a high angle shot as compared with. a shothaving a relatively low trajectory. This oi course is necessary for theimpact velocity of a ,relatively high angle iron shot, such as might be"made with a No. 6 or "i iron, is substantially the same as the impactvelocity of a ball hit with a No. 1 or 2 iron.

It has been found, through long experimentation and tests that thedampening devices 42 to may be so adjusted and the scale 59 socalibrated that all readings on the indicating device 48 are extremelyaccurate irrespective oi' what golf club is employed to hit the ball.

It will further be observed that due to the locations of the microphones38 to 4| that a ball striking the screen at one side or the other willnot give as great an output from the amplifier 46 as one hit in thecenter, for such a ball will create an impact sound which will be pickedup by one microphone only, While a ball striking the screen at thecenter will create an impact sound which is picked up by all of themicrophones.

While the above described microphones and their associated registeringand indicating devices take into account the direction of ilight of theball in a horizontal plane, they do not provide a visual indication ofthe direction of flight. Such means is provided by the use of additionalmicrophones and equipment now to be described.

The direction indicating means includes three microphones 5|, 52 and 53,which are positioned in line with the two lower microphones 33 and 39behind the canvas 26. The microphone 52 is located at the center of thescreen 26 in a horizontal plane, but Abelow the center of the screen ina vertical plane. In Figure 1, on the front face of the screen, I haveillustrated a target 54 having a bulls eye 55. This bulls eye 55 islocated at a point on the screen 26 Where the ball should strike inorder to have a trajectory giving themaximum distance. The microphone 52is preierably located directly behind the bulls eye 55.l

As has previously been stated, the microphones 5|, 52 and 53 arepreferably highly directional microphones having sensitivity patternswhich will not overlap each other. As shown in Figure 3, the lines 5lillustrate the cone of the sensitivity pattern of the microphone 5|.Similarly, the lines 52 and 53 illustrate the respective cones of thesensitivity patterns of the microphones 52 and 53. 'The microphones 5|to 53 are of such character that a ball striking the screen 2E in thearea between the points A and B will create an impact sound which ispicked up only by the microphone 5 I A ball striking the canvas betweenthe points B and C will be picked up only by the microphone 52, while aball striking the canvas 26 between the pointsC and Dwill be picked uponly by the microphone 53. In the rare instances where the ball shouldstrike the screen 26 substantially at the point B or at the point C thesound will be picked up by the microphones 5| and 52, and 52 and 53,respectively. l

The microphones 5| to 53 are connected through circuits 54, 55 and 56,respectively, having dampening means or resistance devices 5l, 58

and 59, respectively, to amplifiers 6.0 6I and 62.A

It will'be observed thatv in this case a separate amplier must beemployed for each microphone in contrast tothe single amplifier which isvemployed for all four microphones 38A to 4|,' which are employed toregister the-intensity'of the impact sound. The output of the amplifiers60 to 62 `are connected through circuits 63 to 65, respecltively, torelay devices 65 to 68. While these relay devices are only illustrateddiagrammatically in Figure 3, it is to be understood that these devicesinclude holding circuit means which will maintain the relay closed afterit has once been energized from the output of its respective amplifier.

Three tubular lamps, preferably of the filament type, 69, 10 and 1l aremounted behind a ground glass screen 12 in fan shape, as is clearlyshown in Figure 3. The'lamps 69 to 1| are arranged to be selectivelyconnected to an energizing circuit 13 through the relays 66 to G8,depending upon which relay is energized from its associated ampliiierwhen a ball hits the screen 26.

As an inspection of Figure' 3 of the drawings will clearly show, thelamp 69 is directly associated with the microphone The lamp'10 isdirectly associated with the microphone 52. The lamp 1| is directlyassociated with lthe microphone 53. It will further be understood froman examination ofthe Figure 3 that when a ball strikes the canvas 26between the points A and B,

the sound will be picked up by the microphone 5| and the lamp 69 will belit. When the ball strikes the canvas 26 between the points B and C, thelamp will be lit.A When the ball strikes the canvas between the points Cand D, the lamp 1| lwill be lit. Should the ball strike the canvasexactly at the point B, both the lamps 69 and 10 will be lit. Shouldthe'ball strike the canvas :exactly at the point C, both the lamps 10and 1I will be lit.

The distance indicating device 48, as well as the direction indicatingdevice, including the lamps 69, 'III and 1|, are preferably located in acabinet 14, which is mounted at one end of the tee board ill. The groundglass cover plate 12 preferably has three arrows painted on its outerface as at 15, 1B and 11, which arelocated directly above the threelamps 69, 10 and 1|, respectively. The distance indicator 48 is locatedin the upper portion of the cabinet 14 so that the scale Eiland thepointer 49 may be readily seen by the person driving the golf ball fromthe tee board In against the canvas 2E.

.After one of the relays 66, 61 and 68 has been energized by itsassociated amplifier, some means must of course be provided for breakingthe holding circuit and de-energizing the relay in order that it may beready to record the direction of the next ball driven from the tee. Anyconvenient mechanical means may be provided for so breaking the holdingcircuit, and if desired, it may be mechanically coupled to the footpedal 31 such that when the footv pedal 31 is depressed to raise anotherball into position to be driven, all holding circuits will be broken inthe relay devices 66, 61 and 68 and the pointer 49 of the indicatingdevice 48 returned to its zero position.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that in view of thefan-shaped disposition of the long tubular lamps 69, 10 and 1|, that adirection indicating means is provided to indicate what general part ofthe canvas is hit by the ball.

In Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings a modified form of the presentinvention has been shown. More specifically, a large number of highlydirectional microphones 18 to S4, inclusive, are

provided in a uniform Ipattern'behind the screen 26; These microphonestake the place of the microphones 5|, 52 and 53 of the embodiment of theinvention shown in Figures 1 to 3. It is to be understood that inaddition to these microphones 18 to 94, the four distance or intensitymicrophones 38, 35, 40 and 4| are employed as shown in Figures l to 3.

'I'he microphones 18 to 94 are connected to a combination amplifier andrelay unit to |10, respectively, through 'suitable electric circuitssuch as combination amplifier and relay units, namely the unit which hasbeen illustrated in greater detail to show the general elements of theunit. More particularly, the unit includes a potentiometer whichprovides a suitable adjustable dampening means so that all ofthemicrophones may be made uniformly sensitive. Located beyond thepotentiometer is the input transformerV ||2 of the ampliier, whichtransformer includes a primary winding ||3 and a secondary winding H4.One side.` of the secondary winding H4 is. connected to the -grid- |'|5of an electron discharge device ||:6.

-"gized and which is also arranged to be held in its down position, uponenergization of the holding coil`|23, against the contact point |25after it has once closed. A second contact arm |28 cis also provided,which i's arranged to be moved with the arm |24, so that when the arm|24' is 'pulled downwardly the arm |26 moves into engagement with thecontact point |21. The contact point |2-1 is connected? to one side oi abattery or other source of electric energy |28. The other side of thesource |28 is connected' to a lamp 29 and then through the hold-ing coil|23 to the contact point |25.

From the above description it will be apparent that when the relay coil|20 is energized the arms |24 and |26 are moved down into engagement Iwith the contact points |25 and |21. This causes energization of thelamp |29 which lamp will remain energized as long as the holding circuit"remains energized. Any mechanical means (not shown) may be provided forbodily moving the arms |24 and |26 out of their circuit closing positionwhich causes de-energization of the lamp. A biasing spring |30 isprovided for holding the arms |24 and |26 in their normally openposition, it being understood that the arm |26 is mechanically fixed tothe arm |24 so as to be moved therewith.

The other combination amplifiers and relay units 95 to ||0 are similarto that above discussed. Each of the combination amplier and relay unitsare connected to lamps |3| to |46, respectively.

From the above description, it will be observed that when a ball strikesin the vicinity of the microphone 18 the lamp 3| will be lit. When aball strikes in the vicinity of the microphone 89 the lamp |42 will belit. We thus see that by locating the lamps in the same relativepositions on an indicating panel as the positions of the correspondingmicrophones behind the screen or canvas that a visual indication will beprovided for indicating the exact spot on the canvas where the ballstrikes. I

While I have shown certain particular embodiments of my invention, itwill, of course, be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto,since many modifications may be made, and I, therefore, contemplate bythe appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within thetrue spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a golfvgame and practice apparatus, a screen against which ballsmay be driven, and a plurality of highly directional sound responsivemeans positioned behind the screen, each sound responsive means beingsensitive to an impact sound created by avball striking a limited areaof said screen, and indicating means actuable by said sound responsivemeans vto show the relative vposition on the screen struck by the drivenball. 2. In a golf game and practice apparatus, a screen against whichballs may be driven, a plurality of sound registering means behind saidscreen sensitive to sounds created by impacts at different predeterminedportions of said screen, and a plurality of visual location indicatingmeans connected respectively to said sound registering means forindicating the direction of night of a driven ball, each one of saidsound registering means being coupled with one visual indicating meansfor selectively actuating the latter when sound is registered by one ofsaid sound registering means.

3. Ina golf game and practice apparatus, a lscreen against which ballsmay be driven, a plurality of devices behind said screen sensitive toimpact sounds at diierent localized areas of said f' screen, anindicating device including a plurality of long tubular lamps arrangedin fan shape, one of said lamps being associated with one of saiddevices, each of said devices having the same relative position behindsaid screen as its associated lamp has on said indicating device, andmeans for energizing a lamp when a driven ball strikes the screen inproximity to the lamp associted sound responsive device.

4. In a golf game and practice apparatus, a screen against which ballsmay be driven, a plurality of devices behind said screen sensitive toimpact sounds at diierent localized areas of said screen, an indicatingdevice including a plurality of lamps arranged in the same relativeposition on said indicating device as said devices are'arranged behindsaid screen, one v of said f lamps being associated with one of saidsound-sensitive devices, and means for energizing a lamp when a drivenball strikes the screen in proximity to the lamp associatedsound-sensitive device.

5. In a golf game and practice apparatusfa screen against which ballsmay be driven, a plu'- rality of devices behind said screen sensitive toimpact sounds at different localized areas of said screen, said devicesbeing arranged in a plurality of concentric circles, an indicatingdevice including a relatively small screen simulating the screen againstwhich the balls are driven, a plurality of lamps in said indicatingdevice arranged to produce spots of light on said relatively smallscreen thereof,4 said lamps having the same relative arrangement withrespect to said relatively small .screen as said sound-sensitive deviceshave with .respect to said screen against which the balls are driven,each of said lamps being connected to a correspondingly positionedsound-sensitive device, relay means in each of said lamp circuits forconnecting the lamp to a source of power, said relay being selectivelyenergized depending upon which of said sound-sensitive devices islocated closest to the impact point of a ball driven against saidscreen, whereby a visual indicating means is provided for registeringthe relative position on said iirst screen where the driven ballstrikes.

6. In a golf game and practice apparatus,4 a screen against which ballsmay be driven, a plurality of highly directional microphones behind saidscreen arranged to receive sound impulses from predetermined localizedareas of impact of a ball driven against said screen, an ampliiierconnected to each of said microphones, a relay connected to the out-putof each of said-amplifiers, and a plurality of long tubular lamentlamps, one lamp being associated with each of said relays, arranged tobe connected to a source of power upon energization of its associatedrelay, said tubular lamp being positioned to indicate the direction offlight of the ball driven against said screen upon energization thereofresponsive to the impact sound `picked up by its associated microphone.

7. In a golf game and practice apparatus, a continuous screen againstwhich balls may be driven, and a plurality of localized sound responsivemeans for indicating the relative position on the screen struck by thedriven ball.

HAROLD W. SCHAEFER.

